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Description

They're pretty.

They're pretty, and together, and it's not fair. There's a number of mares, one's belly so round it's amazing that she can see behind her with the girth of it. She inches a little closer, doing her best not to seem so obvious about it. There's plenty of herds to take her pick from, but she's got time, it's only sunset. The clouds are golden and bright in the sky, and yet she shivers as the wind douses her with a reminder that a lone horse in the winter is likely a dead one.

Iris edges a little closer.

" I wouldn't, " a voice chides mildly, " if I were you."

Iris freezes, feeling like a wee, stumbling thing at the words, and frantically she looks for the source of the voice. There's a bay mare watching her, belly rounder than the chestnut's in the distance. She looks uncomfortable, like Iris felt her first summer, stuffed stupid full of rich grass. Her mane is pretty and silver, and it dances on the breeze as she watches Iris in turn. She doesn't look upset, just mildly annoyed at having to have said anything at all - perhaps regretting saying anything in the first place.

Iris doesn't say anything and inches closer to the herd. The mare's ears prick and Iris can see brown eyes narrow at the same time the hide on her flank twitch and spasm.

" Why? They're all alone too," her voice is petulant, as a default and she lifts her head higher, puffs her chest out, " I just was gonna say hello, it's polite, mama said."

Her mother who was dead, bones in the soil and eaten, stinking of meat and fear and pain, and left alone because Iris was a coward.

The mare stares at Iris until she deflates slowly, and then the bay jerks her head towards the two mares Iris had been watching, " No they aren't," her voice is tinged with pity at the edges, and Iris turns to see. There's a big stallion there, so dark that at first she thinks his coat is as inky and black as the night, until she sees the faint stripes on his legs. He's glowering at her, ears flexed back and standing between them and his mares.

" Stallions don't kiss the asses of foals who aren't theirs," The mare tells her mildly, and Iris realizes it's not her that the mare is looking at but the grullo stallion. There's not quite a threat there, but the air grows more and more charged the longer no one moves in the evening. The two mares fidget in the distance, seeming torn between waiting and watching, or moving away from it.

Iris doesn't understand why.

" I just wanted to say hi," she repeats softly, looking between the adults.

The bay snorts, ears flicking, " and I want a belly full of grass and not a foal, but we don't always get what we want. " The big stallion steps forward, and the stranger mare's ears pin back at him, warily stepping away, " Come with me," this time her voice is softer, so it won't carry, " this isn't the place to die. I can't promise you a home, but I can see you to dawn, if you'll be my company." Iris isn't sure what she means, but if it means not being alone, she's all for it. She perks up, stepping up to the big-boned mare, who doesn't stop stop staring at the stallion in warning. She puts herself between Iris and him, like her mama used to.

They set off, the mare nosing her to get her moving and it's only then that she introduces herself.

Iris returns it will a tiny ember of relief turning into a blaze.

Stallion ID: 24-2
In response to: E-Herd 144
Art features: Cormorant 144, Sparrow 1053, Fiver 978 , Leandra 113 , Iris
Story: Cormorant 144, Sparrow 1053, Fiver 978 , Leandra 113 , Iris
Word count: 626

Aging: Iris 2/3
Pregnancy: Leandra, 3/3

Members that own outside horses: Cormorant 144, Sparrow 1053, Fiver 978 [starrynightxxi herd 144]
Rolls: Normal

ref: x

Description

They're pretty.

They're pretty, and together, and it's not fair. There's a number of mares, one's belly so round it's amazing that she can see behind her with the girth of it. She inches a little closer, doing her best not to seem so obvious about it. There's plenty of herds to take her pick from, but she's got time, it's only sunset. The clouds are golden and bright in the sky, and yet she shivers as the wind douses her with a reminder that a lone horse in the winter is likely a dead one.

Iris edges a little closer.

" I wouldn't, " a voice chides mildly, " if I were you."

Iris freezes, feeling like a wee, stumbling thing at the words, and frantically she looks for the source of the voice. There's a bay mare watching her, belly rounder than the chestnut's in the distance. She looks uncomfortable, like Iris felt her first summer, stuffed stupid full of rich grass. Her mane is pretty and silver, and it dances on the breeze as she watches Iris in turn. She doesn't look upset, just mildly annoyed at having to have said anything at all - perhaps regretting saying anything in the first place.

Iris doesn't say anything and inches closer to the herd. The mare's ears prick and Iris can see brown eyes narrow at the same time the hide on her flank twitch and spasm.

" Why? They're all alone too," her voice is petulant, as a default and she lifts her head higher, puffs her chest out, " I just was gonna say hello, it's polite, mama said."

Her mother who was dead, bones in the soil and eaten, stinking of meat and fear and pain, and left alone because Iris was a coward.

The mare stares at Iris until she deflates slowly, and then the bay jerks her head towards the two mares Iris had been watching, " No they aren't," her voice is tinged with pity at the edges, and Iris turns to see. There's a big stallion there, so dark that at first she thinks his coat is as inky and black as the night, until she sees the faint stripes on his legs. He's glowering at her, ears flexed back and standing between them and his mares.

" Stallions don't kiss the asses of foals who aren't theirs," The mare tells her mildly, and Iris realizes it's not her that the mare is looking at but the grullo stallion. There's not quite a threat there, but the air grows more and more charged the longer no one moves in the evening. The two mares fidget in the distance, seeming torn between waiting and watching, or moving away from it.

Iris doesn't understand why.

" I just wanted to say hi," she repeats softly, looking between the adults.

The bay snorts, ears flicking, " and I want a belly full of grass and not a foal, but we don't always get what we want. " The big stallion steps forward, and the stranger mare's ears pin back at him, warily stepping away, " Come with me," this time her voice is softer, so it won't carry, " this isn't the place to die. I can't promise you a home, but I can see you to dawn, if you'll be my company." Iris isn't sure what she means, but if it means not being alone, she's all for it. She perks up, stepping up to the big-boned mare, who doesn't stop stop staring at the stallion in warning. She puts herself between Iris and him, like her mama used to.

They set off, the mare nosing her to get her moving and it's only then that she introduces herself.

Iris returns it will a tiny ember of relief turning into a blaze.

Stallion ID: 24-2
In response to: E-Herd 144
Art features: Cormorant 144, Sparrow 1053, Fiver 978 , Leandra 113 , Iris
Story: Cormorant 144, Sparrow 1053, Fiver 978 , Leandra 113 , Iris
Word count: 626

Aging: Iris 2/3
Pregnancy: Leandra, 3/3

Members that own outside horses: Cormorant 144, Sparrow 1053, Fiver 978 [starrynightxxi herd 144]
Rolls: Normal

ref: x